Up the Albion! Mark Brailsford on Cardiff, Palace & the play-offs
Following Albion’s fantastic win in Cardiff, are we about to witness something special in the run up to the season’s end? Even if The Seagulls do not reach the play-offs, there have been some very special moments to savour this season. However, it’s the next few games that may define whether Albion will still be in the hunt for promotion.
“The March match against Palace may not be the last we see of Glenn Murray & co this season”
That momentous and hard-earned win in Cardiff after being battered yet unbowed, was the exact reversal of a lot of Albion’s games so far this season. For supporters, it must have been a mirrored version of déjà vu, the home side coming up against an obdurate and on-form goalkeeper, a series of missed chances and a sense of abandonment by Lady Luck. This time however, the boot was on the other foot. To come away with the win and a clean sheet from the league leaders was a fantastic effort from the whole team, from the goalkeeper to the tireless work of Ulloa who was justly rewarded with the goal that sealed it at the end.
The points away to Cardiff were written off in most Albion fans’ (and this columnist’s) eyes, but now there are the stirrings of something special that may mean we’re in for another loop-the-loop of the Gus Bus Rollercoaster. Maximum points in the next two games and Albion could be in that top six by the time of The Big One on 17 March. Bring on the Palace.
I predict the play-offs
It could, of course, all come unstuck in the upcoming games against Leicester and Forest, but this column is going to defy the logic of previous failed predictions and predict Albion to make the play-offs. Having completed the BBC website promotion calculator, I had Albion finishing sixth along with Crystal Palace, Leicester and Watford, with Hull and Cardiff going up automatically. Therefore, the March match against Our Friends in the North may not be the last we see of Glenn Murray and co this season. If Albion make the play-offs and they do manage to get past a powerful Watford or Leicester side in a semi-final, then a potential final against Crystal Palace at Wembley (should they progress) potentially awaits. It’s got disaster written all over it, a potentially doom-laden or glorious occasion with an 8am kick off time due to police advice with Murray or (dread the thought) Dobbie scoring the winner in extra-time. In the case of Dobbie, he is barred from playing against Albion as part of the loan deal, but this might not be binding in a play-off final.
Whenever it takes place (if it takes place) a play-off final at Wembley between Brighton and the Old Enemy playing for the riches and the status of Premier League football, would make the battles of the ‘70s look like a gentle game of deck quarts on a summer cruise. What might be the lesser of two evils would be if they met in a semi-final (home and away matches!) then all police leave will definitely be cancelled and The Amex would rock!
Factor in the obvious history, the match on the 17 March becomes even more important as it could lead to the victor in that game going into a play-off match with a very powerful psychological advantage. For that reason alone, if it wasn’t a ‘must win’ before, it is now. The rest of the football fraternity may not have a clue as to why Brighton vs Palace is such a fiercely contested derby, but if the two clubs meet in the play-offs, they soon will. As if the game in March needed any more hype!
Albion shortlisted for two FL awards
The Football League has announced the shortlists for the Football League Awards 2013 and Albion are up for two awards. This year there are a total of 17 awards with the winners being announced at the gala ceremony at The Brewery, London, on Sunday 24 March 2013.
Albion have been shortlisted for the Family Club of the Year awards while right-back Inigo Calderon has been shortlisted for the PFA Player in the Community Award. The shortlisted awards are:
Family Club of the Year:
AFC Bournemouth; Brighton & Hove Albion; Cardiff City; Doncaster Rovers; Oxford United; Plymouth Argyle
Coca-Cola Community Club of the Year:
Cardiff City (Cardiff City Community & Education Foundation) – South West & Wales; Charlton Athletic (Charlton Athletic Community Trust) – South East; Derby County (Derby County in the Community) – Midlands; Huddersfield Town (Huddersfield Town Football In The Community) – North East; Tranmere Rovers (Tranmere Rovers In The Community) – North West
Perform Best Use of Digital:
Birmingham City; Bristol City; Crystal Palace; Leeds United; Plymouth Argyle; Swindon Town
Tokio Marine Unsung Hero Award: John Harriss – AFC Bournemouth; Billy Neil – Millwall; Peter Rhoades-Brown
– Oxford United
PFA Player in the Community:
Inigo Calderon – Brighton & Hove Albion; Alan Lee – Huddersfield Town; Mark Roberts – Stevenage
LFE Apprentice of the Year – Championship :
Dimitar Evtimar – Nottingham Forest; Duane Holmes – Huddersfield Town; Bernard Mensah – Watford
LFE Apprentice of the Year – League 1:
Luke James – Hartlepool United; George Willis – Sheffield United; Drey Wright – Colchester United
LFE Apprentice of the Year – League 2:
James Allen – Rochdale; Tyler Harvey – Plymouth Argyle; George Sykes – Barnet
There will also be awards on the night for the Mitre Goal of the Year, Football Manager Outstanding Managerial Achievement Award, npower Fan of the Year, npower Player of the Year for the Championship, League 1 and League 2, Johnstone’s Paint Young Player of the Year, and Contribution to League Football. www.FLAwards.com.
Read more Albion Club news at www.theseagulls.co.uk
Words: Will Jago
Up next: Huddersfield Town
After their 6-1 hammering by a resurgent Nottingham Forest, whom Albion face at the end of March, Huddersfield, under new manager Mark Robbins, look ripe for a stuffing. But this ignores the galvanising effect of Billy Davies at Forest. When Albion play their away game at The City Ground, it could be the moment that Forest’s play-off credentials come to the fore and they are a fair bet for a charge up the table in their remaining matches. As for Huddersfield this may have been a freak result even though the club has made some rather desperate managerial decisions of late. Robbins is a fine young manager who was prised from Coventry City who were doing quite nicely thank you, until their bright young manager was lured to Huddersfield. If Albion are to be play-off contenders themselves then all three points are a must for this game. Gus will no doubt want a big win, brace yourselves Amex, this could be a high scoring game. Prediction? 5-1.
Words: Mark Brailsford
